Christopher J. Dorobek is the voice behind GovLoop’s DorobekINSIDER, a blog and audio program that focuses on six words: Helping government do its job better.

He is an award-winning journalist and thought leader. In 2008, his editorials in Federal Computer Week were recognized with the ASBPE national editorial award, and in 2010, he was awarded Federal Computer Week’s prestigious Federal 100 Award — the first working journalist to win that award in its more tha20-year history. In 2014, he was recognized with the Association of Federal Information Resource Managers President’s Award for Media.

Before joining GovLoop, Dorobek served as the anchor of Federal News Radio 1500 AM’s afternoon drive program, the DorobekINSIDER. He also served as the Internet evangelist for Federal News Radio’s Web site, FederalNewsRadio.com. Dorobek joined Federal News Radio in 2008 with nearly two decades of experience covering government issues with an emphasis on government information technology.

Prior to joining Federal News Radio, Dorobek was editor-in-chief of Federal Computer Week, the leading news magazine for government IT decision-makers and the flagship of the 1105 Government Information Group portfolio of publications. As editor-in-chief, Dorobek served as a member of the senior leadership team at 1105 Government Information Group, providing daily editorial direction and management for FCW magazine, FCW.com, Government Health IT and its other editorial products.

Dorobek joined FCW in 2001 as a senior reporter and assumed increasing responsibilities, becoming managing editor and executive editor before being named editor-in-chief in 2006. Prior to joining FCW, Dorobek was a technology reporter at PlanetGov.com, one of the first online community centers for current and former government employees. He also spent five years at Government Computer News, another leading industry publication, covering a variety of federal IT-related issues. Dorobek is a frequent speaker on issues involving the government IT industry, and has appeared as a frequent contributor to NewsChannel 8’s Federal News Today program. He also has written for AFCEA’s Signal magazine. And he is a regular moderator for events. He began his career as a reporter at the Foster’s Daily Democrat, a daily newspaper in Dover, NH.

He is currently writing a book about how to moderate panels.

He is a graduate of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He is a very proud father, and he lives in Washington, DC.

About the DorobekInsider.com

The DorobekInsider seeks to continue the work Dorobek started at Federal Computer Week with the FCW Insider blog — providing news, insights and analysis of how the government buys, how the government manages, and also of government technology. TheDorobekInsider.com covers an eclectic mix of issues and subjects. In short, we focus on six words: Helping government do its job better.

Dorobek launched the FCW Insider blog in June 2005, and the blog became a place where people could share ideas and build community. The DorobekINSIDER seeks to continue the FCW Insider’s tradition — providing information about the government that you can’t find elsewhere.

Chris Dorobek is the voice behind of GovLoop’s DorobekINSIDER, a blog and audio program that focuses on six words: Helping government do its job better. Previously, he was the anchor of Federal News Radio’s afternoon drive program. He served as the editor in chief of Federal Computer Week. He is currently writing a book on how to serve as a moderator.

On November 15, 2008, the Department of Interior released its 330 page Annual Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) . In the report, Earl E. Devaney, Interior’s Inspector General since August 1993, said Interior’s Information Technology program was “fragmented and highly decentralized. As such, there is loss of authority and accountability.” Mr. Devaney went on to say Interior’s Chief Information Officer did not even have the authority to approve or disapprove information systems being connected to Interior’s network. In addition, Mr. Devaney warned “continued non-compliance with several key elements of federal information policy has left the Department struggling to meet information security and privacy mandates.”

Mr. Devany said his office issued 125 recommendations to improve IT security during 2007 and, in 2008, he found “little substantive progress in implementing many corrective actions.” He went on to warn many areas of the Department “remain vulnerable to rudimentary and unsophisticated attacks that result in loss of data, compromise of sensitive information, and theft of equipment.”

On February 14, 2007, Mr. Devaney testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Resources. In his testimony, Mr. Devaney said “A significant impediment to improving cyber security and gaining full compliance with FISMA is DOI’s decentralized IT management structure.” Since 2001, Interior has received an ‘F” on the annual FISMA report card issued by the House of Representatives Government Reform Committee 6 times. Unlike many other federal agencies, Interior’s IG has not released his 2008 annual report on FISMA to the public.

In his Statement Summarizing the Major Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Department of Interior, included in Part 4 of Interior’s annual PAR, Mr. Devaney concluded “Until the Department fundamentally changes its approach to managing its IT program, it is unlikely [the] Department will achieve and sustain meaningful improvements in information security.”

Dear Christopher,
I attended AFFIRM’s lunch last week and I thought you might be the right person to approach. I work for a non profit, Year Up, that trains and provides entry level help desk and desktop support for companies like the Washington Post, The Carlyle Group, Marriott…We would love to extend our services to government contractors. What is frustrating is that everywhere I go there seems to be a lack of a reliable pipeline for young talent, but we have been very unsuccessful in breaking into the decision making circles. Our model is unique because we have a dual client base, so we serve young adults, 18-24 years old who need opportunity, and we serve businesses who are looking for young talent. Our mission is to bring the opportunity gap.
I would love your advice on how to go about building partnership with federal contractors. I would love to meet and chat with you about whenever your time permits.

[…] Christopher Dorobek, managing editor of Federal News Radio and author of DorobekInsider.com, is reporting that they’ve confirmed that President Obama is set to name the immensely talented Vivek Kundra, Washington, D.C., government’s CTO, as the next administrator of e-government and information technology within the Office of Management and Budget. Good news indeed. […]

“A significant impediment to improving cyber security and gaining full compliance with FISMA is DOI’s decentralized IT management structure.”

Could you comment on this, Christopher? I don’t know who “anonymous” is or what their agenda is, but I do think there’s a generic issue here for the public to examine, with the drive for transparency and all.

IT culture *is* very decentralized and loves the concept of “distributed decision making” especially when it absolves them of accountability. You can also find ardent Stallmanites in this culture who think information, even classified government information, “wants to be free,” or that you simply can’t get into an arms race with hackers so don’t bother.